From Wikitravel

Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous seaside resort-town. It's more lively and urban in character than other beach destinations like Mui Ne and Phu Quoc. It's also the scuba diving center of Vietnam.

[edit] Overview

Traces of human settlement in Nha Trang date back to the Cham Empire, though in times of Vietnamese rule, there wasn’t much more than small fishing villages. The French recognized that this beautiful bay, with its islands and white sand beaches, made for a perfect bathing spot, and began the transformation into a resort town. American soldiers agreed, and it became a favorite vacation stop during the war.

Today, most of the tourist infrastructure is in the southern part of town around Biet Thu, whereas most of the locals live around the Cho Dam in the northern quarters. Despite the two area separation, Cho Dam Market is offered visited by anyone that spend time in Nha Trang. Tran Phu is the backbone of the city, accompanied by a pleasant waterfront promenade, palm trees and the nearly 6km of beach — by no means pristine, but nice enough.

The monsoon season is from October to mid December. Sea winds can be heavy, and sometimes the weather can get pretty chilly. Summer time brings many vacation goer into town and hotel[1] rooms might be more expensive and difficult to find.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Cam Ranh Airport (CRX), built on the grounds of an old American airbase in 2004, is located 30km from the city and serves only domestic destinations. Taxi fare from the airport to downtown locations should be about 170,000 dong, though many hotels have their own buses.

[edit] By train

Nha Trang is a stop on the main railway-line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The railway station is close to the cathedral in the northern part of town. If you want a soft-sleeper (the highest class available on Vietnamese trains), book your train ticket directly at the train station as far in advance as you are able. Having a private travel agent book this ticket will quite often result in you paying the agent for a soft-sleeper — the agent will book a hard-sleeper and you will not know until you board the train and it is too late to make changes. This is one of the most common scams in Vietnam!

[edit] By bus

Most open tour buses arrive from Ho Chi Minh City in the south (8 hours) and Hoi An to the north (10 hours). They drop their passengers in the main tourist area around Bien Thu, while the public bus station is at 58, 23 Thang 10, about a 10 minute walk west of the center.

[edit] By car

Private car rental with a driver are usually modern air-con cars and can be rented from US$45-75/day.

Car rental prices (as mostly anything in Vietnam) usually increase during holiday seasons especially around Tet (Vietnamese’s New Year). Make sure to avoid high prices by booking it beforehand with the car rental services.

[edit] Get around

There are 2 main streets in Nha Trang where every tourist should know about. It is the Tran Phu Street and Biet Thu Street. You can access these streets through taxis, or by renting a bicycle or motorcycle from your hotel. Let yourself get lost in these two streets will be quiet adventurous since it both offers all the accommodations and attractions you can explore.

Tran Phu, is where you will likely find many famous attraction sites, and if you are hungry, head on over to Biet Thu for some signature Vietnamese dishes as well as Western food.

[edit][add listing] See

Most people like the locals or tourists come to Nha Trang for the beach. That would be their main motive. The beach here is unbelievably breathtaking. The water is so clear that you can literally distinguish everything you see under sea. The sand is white, the wind is peaceful, the air is fresh, and the people are friendly. Most importantly, everything the place has to offer is great and inexpensive. Whether you come for fresh air from the ocean, or to get a nice tan, or just to relax with your family, the beach at Nha Trang has it all. What is also different here is that you will likely see many women vendors walking along the beach selling steamed seafood. They will carry different types of seafood (some are unique to Vietnam and very expensive), and food is always kept hot and fresh. If you ever have the chance to come here, one of the things you must try is this as it is very tasty.

Having said all that, make sure that you visit in the right season. Nha Trang beach can be spectacularly disappointing when the weather is grey and the waves choppy. The experience is then one of murky sandy waters, a strip of standard brown sand with a multitude of empty beach chairs and no one to be seen.

The sites below can be toured in one day. It is always better to tour with other people.

• National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam, 01 Cau Da, 058-590-037, [2]. Admission US$1. Open 7am-4pm. This is like an aquarium with popular and rare species of the sea. A perfect place to bring kids as they will get to see sharks, turtles, coral reefs, lionfish, sea horses, and many other creatures.

• Alexandre Yersin Museum, 10 Tran Phu St., 058-822-355. Admission US$2. Mon-Sat 8-11am and 2-4:30pm. This is a scientific museum of a Swiss-born, Dr. Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), who arrived in Vietnam in 1891 to study infected animals. He then later on produced a serum from horses and buffaloes. In this museum, you will be able to view all of his work as well as his equipment. Yersin never went back to Switzerland as he spent the rest of his life in Nha Trang. Don’t try to take pictures. Do respect the rules since they're quite serious here.

• Long Son Pagoda, Thai Nguyen St. Free admission. Open 8am-5pm. At this pagoda, you will see a 79 ft. tall white Buddha. The pagoda was established in 1963 to honour the monks and nuns who died demonstrating against the Diem government.

• Po Nagar Cham Towers, 2 Thang 4 St. Admission US$0.8. Open daily 7:30am-5pm. This tower was built by the Cham people to honor Yang Ino Po Ngar, mother of the kingdom. The local Buddhists of Nha Trang occupied this place for prayers and worshipping, and there are many incense lighted giving the place an interesting aroma. The Po Ngar Kalan is a very glorified structure with amazing architectures filled with stunning colors. It is a 20-25 minute walk from the main beach strip, however be prepared to wander through the 'real' Nha Trang, quite a shocking change from the showy built up beach side resort.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Boat Cruises – This activity is very popular for adults. The rate is US$8 per day. Book this trip at 02A Hung Vuong St., 058-826-693. Your day will be full of activities on this tour. The tour consists of traveling through 4 islands (Mun Island, Mieu Island, Tam Island, and Mot Island). At these stops, you will get to experience some snorkeling, fishing, and many other activities. The tour will provide you a great lunch with drinks on board.

• Sailing – Get a group together and rent out a captain for about US$40 for a best sailing experience. Call the Nha Trang Sailing Club, 058-826-528 for more information.

• Relaxing – Thap Ba natural hotsprings: a must-have experience at an amazingly cheap price (4$/day/person). Located on the outskirt of the city, this place provides the most relaxing services you can imagine (hot mud bath, mineral water bath and hot water pool -massages also available).

[edit] Diving & snorkeling

Close off-shore from Nha Trang sit a series of islands that offer decent diving and snorkeling, easily accessible by day trip. The city has about two dozen dive shops, making for fierce competition and great values. For certification training, Nha Trang offers perhaps the best value in the world, with PADI open water courses available with full equipment rental for as little as US$200. A two-dive boat trip with equipment rental and modest lunch can be had for as little as US$25, also a phenomenal value.

Coastal and undersea construction has stirred up a lot of sediment in the area, so under-water visibility is sometimes not great. The area is heavily fished, so fish life is also limited. You wouldn't cross the world just to dive at Nha Trang. But if you always dreamed of getting a scuba certification, Nha Trang is a great place to do it, and any diver passing through would enjoy a couple of dips. The shops generally offer good-quality equipment and experienced, certified dive-masters. Diving goes on year-around, but in the October-December windy season, the boat ride can be a bit rough and diving is limited to a few sites in the lee of the islands.

Organization of the Nha Trang dive industry is sometimes complex. If you sign up for a trip with shop A, you might find yourself joined with a group and dive-master from shop B, which shares a boat with another group and dive-master from shop C, the boat itself being independently owned. Consolidation is especially active in the off-season, when few if any shops can fill a boat on their own. It's a good illustration of Vietnamese culture, which does not stand on ceremony, and loves a bargain, and is very skilled at making maximum use of resources. The local dive-masters are mostly great, friendly guys with lots of stories to tell.

• Jeremy Stein’s Rainbow Divers, 058-826-528, [3] is a high-touch, European-owned operation with partially expat staff. A two-dive boat trip costs around US$45, about double the best deals available in town (but much less than what Rainbow charges in other locations.) The operation is well-organized and very professional, catering to divers who aren't comfortable with the more low-key local shops.

• Angel Dive, 1/33 Tran Quang Khai, 58-522-461, is a mid-priced option run by a friendly French expat named Fred.

• Octopus Diving, 62 Tran Phu St., 058-810-629, [4].

• Vietnam Explorer, 02 Tran Quang Khai, 058-524-490.

[edit] Work

• Travel to Teach [5] works with a project teaching English and computer use to the kids that sleep on the beach. Crazy Kim's Bar (see below) is the headquarters for the project.

[edit][add listing] Buy

As mentioned above, make sure you bargain with these vendors. If you don’t, they will charge you an arm and a leg just because you are a tourist.

• Bamboo, 15 Biet Thu St., 058-910-774. Open 8am-9:30pm. This is a popular T-shirt shop in the area. Lots of tourists visit this shop to get T-shirts.

• Groove Shack, 89A Nguyen Thien Thuat St., 058-524-738. Open daily 8am-10pm. This is the place to update your MP3 player, very good service and prices.

• Tashunco, 17A Biet Thu St., 058-827-035. Open 7am-10pm. This is a mini Western market where tourists can buy products like chips, cheese, soda, etc.

Forty Thieves Clothing

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

• White House, 30B Nguyen Thien Thuat St., 058-524-438. Main courses US$6-8. Open daily 9am-11pm. This place has a very innocent atmosphere and it is very relaxing while you enjoy your Western food.

• Truc Linh, 21 Biet Thu St., 058-821-259. Main courses US$1-10. Open daily 7am-11pm. Both Asian and Western food can be found here.

• Lac Canh, 11 Hang Ca St., 058-821-391. Main courses US$1.5-8. Open daily 7am-7pm. What’s different about this restaurant is that you get to cook yourself. It seems that both locals as well as tourists love it.

• Lac Viet Quan Chay, Vegetarian, Huynh Thuc Khang St. just Southeast of market, 1 1/2 blocks Northwest from To Hienh Thanh St. Plate of mixed vegetable and tofu/veg meat dishes with rice or a bowl of noodle soup, less than US$1. Just a little humble place, but a nice option for vegetarians and it is right next to the market that might be worth having a look.

[edit] Mid-range

• Sailing Club, 72 Tran Phu St., [6]. T 058-826-528. Main courses US$3-10. Open 7am-11pm. This restaurant consists of Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, and Italian food, giving you many varieties to satisfy your hunger needs. With many types of food offered, this place bound to be crowded and popular especially at night when it turns into bar.

• Good Morning Vietnam, 19B Biet Thu St., [7]. T 058-815-071. Main courses US$4.5-9. Open daily 10am-11pm. If you want to take a break from the Vietnamese cuisine, and change your appetite to Italian food, this is the place to go. On the menu are pasta dishes as well as other well-known Italian food.

• Nha Trang Seafood, 46 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., 058-822-664. Main courses US$2-14. Open daily 9:30am-10pm. Who ever would think seafood could be so cheap? Well, this restaurant serves fresh and scrumptious seafood any way you would like it. With an inexpensive price, everyone is here to enjoy their time. The service is also great just like their food.

[edit] Splurge

• Ana Pavilion, Tran Phu Blvd., 058-829-829. Main courses US$7-20. Open 6am-11pm. This is a fancy restaurant located inside the Ana Mandara resort. The food and the service here is exceptionally well-done. It is an Asian/Continental type of restaurant, and it is the most excellent on the coast.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Nha Trang at night is the place to be with the hottest clubs, music, and people around.

• Why Not Bar, 24 Tran Quang Khai St., 058-811-652. Open late. There is also a dance floor for whoever wants to dance. This bar is usually most popular after 2am (when the Sailing Club closes) and lasts until 4am.

• Guava, 17 Biet Thu St., . Closed at 1am. Music is great here, but it is more suitable for younger crowd. Expat bar with comfortable lounge seating and movies in the daytime.

• Jack’s Roof Terrace Bar and Restaurant, 96A/8 Tran Phu St., 058-813-862. Come to this bar for drinks and play some pool with other tourists. Attracts all ages. Jack died of cancer in 2004.

• Crazy Kim Bar, 19 Biet Thu St., 058-816-072. Closed at 1am. If you are young and wild, this is the place to be.

• Nha Trang Sailing Club, 72-74 Tran Phu St.. Open late. This club is extremely popular. It is kind of an after party place everyone goes to when other bars are closed. There is a large area with pool table and a dance floor.

• SinhTo20, 20 Hoang Hoa Tham St., 058-525-870. This place has a very good yogurt and many kinds of cocktails. Prices are very reasonable.

[edit] Cafés

These 4 places are a free-alcohol zone. If you are not into the bar atmosphere, head here for some relaxations and have a cup of coffee.

• Nha Trang Bakery and Tearoom, 99B Nguyen Thien Thuat, 058-85-562.

• Café Louisiane, Tran Phu St., 058-812-948.

• Banana Spit, 58 Quang Trung St., 058-829-115.

• Rainbow Bar, 90A Hung Vuong St., 058-524-351, [8]].

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Staying in Nha Trang can range from luxury suites in five-star hotels and spa resorts to motels. There are quiet numerous options offered for everyone depending on the size of their pockets.

[edit] Budget

• Nha Trang Live Hostel, 127 Thong Nhat St., 058.820.476. A home-sharing living envirnoment that allows visitor to stay over night for about $6. Breakfast and dinner included. Also have a travel [information center] with helpful suggestions. www nhatranglive com

• Ha Thu, 64/2 Tran Phu., 058.522800. A budget hotel well worth the money, rooms starting at 6 USD per night. Rooms are clean, and staff is friendly.

• Blue House, 12/8 Hung Vuong St., 058-824-505. Staying here will make you feel more at home because it is structured like a shore house run by a family. They are very friendly and will welcome you warmly. Breakfast is provided and it is home cooked. Though there are only a few running the place, but the service is great. Your money is worth it here. Price ranges from US$6-13.

• La Suisse Hotel, 34 Tran Quang Khai St., 058-524-4353, lasuissehotelnt@dng.vnn.vn. This place has internet access for those who need to stay connected. At the top, you can enjoy the view of Nha Trang while sipping drinks at the bar. Overall, this hotel is friendly and the atmosphere surrounds this hotel is very much alive. Price ranges from US$20-40.

• Flamingo Suites Ha Van Hotel, 3/2 Tran Quang Khai St. 058 524-454, flamingosuites@gmail.com. Foreign managed, 36 rooms. Best value for money, clean and confortable. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms. One block from the beach, also near all the city attractions. Superb rooftop to drink while looking at the city and listening Jazz music. US$18-22. Number 1 on Tripadvisor.com See our website [9]

• Perfume Grass Inn, 4A Biet Thu St., 058-826-345, [10]. This Inn is an exception to others. Your price range depends on what amenities you would need. The lesser the accommodations you request, the cheaper the price will be, and vice versa. Though, service is treated the same to everyone, and it is a very well-run inn by a family. Also, if you want to be within walking distance from all the bars and restaurants, this is the place to stay. Price ranges from US$15-25.

• Hong Ngoc, 28 Yersin St., is to avoid. Thieves are active there, so don't be surprised if you find your door open and your wallet missing when coming back from the beach.

• Thanh Ngoc 2, 14 Tue Tinh (tel : 058-517759). Exellent value for money. Low-season prices starts from 8USD and all room all equipped with tv, hot-water, air-con and spacious beds. New building (2007) and clean rooms.

[edit] Mid-range

• Que Huong Hotel, 60 Tran Phu Blvd., 058-825-047, [11]. Another hotel within the walking distance to the beach. There is a nice restaurant accompanied with a pool hall and some disco. Great amenities offered as well as the services. Price ranges from US$55-105.

• Nha Trang Lodge Hotel, 40 Tran Phu St., 058-810-500, [12]. For those who love the view of the ocean, this is the hotel to stay at. Most rooms overlook the beach giving you an extraordinary sea views. Rooms are equipped with phones, satellite TV, a minibar, etc. Service is great. Price ranges from US$60-170 per night.

• Vien Dong Hotel, 1 Tran Hung Dao St., 058-821-606, [13]. Price ranges from US$35-45. This is a well-known hotel giving that it has been around for a while. It is affordable with all the basic amenities needed plus some live entertainment provided at night.

[edit] Splurge

• Evason Hideaway, 058-728-222, [14]. The only way to get to this resort is by speed boat to Ninh Van Bay. Price ranges from US$405-1,255 per night. This is more of a private resort, suitable for whoever wants to get away from everything to spend time relaxing with love ones. This resort lurks itself between the rocks and mountains and oversees the white sand beach. Dining is fabulous in the open air where the breezes slightly stroke through your hair. While taking your time to have a lovely dinner, the sun will slowly set, giving you a miraculous view of Nha Trang at night. Of course, there are many other amenities that are endless to meet your needs. You would think Evason Hideaway secluded enough? To make this resort even more secluded, they have added their own private beach located two bays over. So, if you would want more privacy, this is the beach to rent. The downside is you can only rent this for a day, but it will be worth it. Imagine what the price will be!!

• Ana Mandara Resort, Tran Phu Blvd., 058-829-829, [15]. If you don’t mind the price, this is the spot to go all out and get the once in a lifetime royal treatment. It has been known to be the finest resorts in the region. Finest in all aspects from the setting of the place to the hospitality to the food and to the people. Available fine-dinning restaurants where the food can alter to your own tastes. Of course, there are many other amenities that are endless to meet your needs. Price ranges from US$210-450 per night. The resort also offer great tours. Make sure you take advantage of that to learn more about the area and the culture.

• Yasaka Saigon-Nhatrang Hotel, 18 Tran Phu St., 058-820-090, [16]. This hotel is a Japanese and Vietnamese joint style. Service here is very friendly, and it has all the amenities you would need. What is good about this hotel is that it is just walking distance to the beach. Price ranges from US$100-355 per night.

• Sunrise Beach Resort Nha Trang, 12 Tran Phu St., 058-920-999, [17]. This resort is all polished marble and white columns with 10 floors. It has a great view of ocean-side as well as the sky from its glass rooftop. Price ranges from US$140-500 per night.

[edit] Contact

Internet access can be found in many hotels and through cheap internet cafes all over town. The farther away from Bien Thu, the cheaper the rates — 6000 dong/hour is the going rate at most places, although even cheaper can be found. When using the telephone at a hotel be sure to check what service provider they use. A Skype phone will cost a few dollars US for a lengthy phone call whereas a land line charges US$1 per minute. Be wary. Try your best to find a copy of either the Vietnam traveller (10,000VND) or Viet Charm Guide (free) both great little books with lots of helpful information, hotels, restaurants etc.

[edit] Stay safe

In Nha Trang, the rate of crimes are not that high. Though, there are some petty crimes usually take place at night. The most common crime is pickpocketing which happens after midnight. During the day, it is relatively safe. Still, staying cautious at all time is best. Try not to wear too many jewelries(especially expensive ones) to avoid attentions, and stay guarded at all time with your belongings. It would be smart to travel in groups when you are out roaming the streets at night. Also, people coming home from the clubs should take a taxi. There is a new service, provided by the government, which now has licensed motorcycle drivers outside of late night venues. These moto drivers have blue, numbered shirts and are safe to take you home.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

There are several other beaches in the vicinity of Nha Trang. About 30 km north of Nha Trang, just when past the village of Ninh Hoa, a peninsula juts out into the South Chinese Sea, and on its northern coast rides its tinier brother, Hon Khoi. Several resorts are located on the eastern beach of Hon Khoi, where you find palm-trees, white sand and turquoise waters. To get there, follow the highway north past the turnoff to Dac Lac Province/Buon Ma Thuot. Then look out for a sign reading "Doc Let-Resort", close to a filling station. A taxi will take 2 persons for about 200,000 dong, while a Xe Om should not be more expensive than 100,000 dong. Or catch a through-bus plying highway Nr.1 and jump off at the turn off. There will always be some motorbike-drivers waiting to take you. Whatever place you choose to go, be sure to reserve a bungalow in advance.

• Doc Let Beach Resort, sign-posted; Tel. 058-849663, Fax 849506. The best known place and closest to the mainland. Though it started out as a traveller's secret, it quickly became a destination for domestic tourists, who basically flood the place during weekends and holidays. There is some socialist charm to the not so "white palm beach turquoise waters"-like architecture of the place, but it's definitely not the old Robinson-feeling you might be craving.

• Jungle Beach (84) 91-3429144 or local # (058)622-384,syl@dng.vnn.vn is reportedly slightly more upmarket, with prices being US$18.75 or 300,000 dong per person, even if you sleep on the beach or one of the beach side huts. Run by a Canadian-Vietnamese couple, all meal is included, and it's the most remote of the resorts here.

• Paradise Resort, Nha Nhi Thien Duong, follow the signs from Doc Let-Resort through Dong Hai-village, ☎ 0084-58-670480 (paradise_doclech@hotmail.com, fax: 0084-58-670479), [18]. Run by an elderly gentleman and his Vietnamese family. Bungalows are US$16-18 (US$11-14 for a single person), depending on how close they are to the beach. Meals are included, and prices for drinks are reasonable. Water, fruits, coffee and tea are free..  edit

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!